


Doodlebug

by SimplyTsundere



Series: Writing Requests [12]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Art Student Jean Kirstein, Forgotten Sketchbook Prompt, M/M, Math Major Marco, One-Shot, Writing request, anon request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 10:28:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10717599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimplyTsundere/pseuds/SimplyTsundere
Summary: When Marco Bodt finally gets a chance to tell the broody, loner, beautiful art student that his art is amazing it's all thanks to a forgotten sketchbook. Jean has more than a little secret hidden in his sketchpad so what happens when he decides to tell Marco about it?





	Doodlebug

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know what this was supposed to be but I just did this for it. I hope you guys like a little University in the mix. I hardly do them so it was fun. Thanks, Anon, for the request!! (Seriously why do people always request on Anon?! Okay, you're shy, cool but I also just wanna like hug you tightly when you ask me to write for you!)
> 
> ~Hugs & Kisses,  
> ❤♠Neko❤♠

Sitting, waiting, watching, writing; the days stretched on with a different class but the same repetitive motions. Marco Bodt was tired of repetitive drone. College was like that though especially in his last year. Having already completed and revealed his thesis the previous semester it was now time to just sit back and coast on what classes had remained. Honestly, most of the classes he waited to take were core classes that would just be a simple breeze.

All of them were rather simple except one; art. Marco wasn’t exactly the world’s artsiest fellow. The only form of art that resonated with him was song writing. Writing and playing music were the only things he could do worth a damn that was creative otherwise he was definitely more of a math guy. Being good at numbers was just something that came to him naturally while things such as art escaped him. He couldn’t wrap his brain around how people were so immensely talented. To him it just seemed so otherworldly.

There was one person in particular who always made his head spin. He’d seen Jean before in his art class but he was definitely the loner type. His headphones were always in and he was always zoned completely into whatever he was doing in class. Sitting behind him was a treat because he was as talented as he was drop dead gorgeous. Flaxen and pecan hair cut in a high undercut with a bright streak of magenta in the bangs over his right eye, piercings lined the shells of his ears, he always wore some form of band t-shirt with a flannel shirt over and jeans with a pair of converses. It didn’t matter though because for as long as he could think back to he’d never once said a word to him.

Over the last three and a half years he’d never once spoken to Jean but he’d seen him around campus. It wasn’t like he couldn’t say anything to him more like he never wanted to bother the guy. He always seemed so zoned into whatever he was doing and didn’t want to interrupt. Also, a part of him found him a little intimidating.  From peering over his shoulder in passing he’d catch glimpses of Jean’s work and be astonished. His work was beyond mesmerizing. From real life portraits of people to cartoon strips Jean’s ability to create anything was mesmerizing.

Jean was just the perfect example of someone completely opposite of himself.  In every way that it seemed; looks, personality, abilities, everything. To Jean’s pale, almost flawless skin Marco was tanned and had freckles mapped over every possible inch of him. Jean’s sharp features versus Marco’s soft, Jean’s amber eyes versus Marco’s umber eyes, Jean’s punk attire and distant attitude versus Marco’s rather average jeans and t-shirt and casual friendliness; they were polar opposites….at least on the surface. Marco had always wanted to speak with Jean and tell him what he thought of his art but never did. He’d been waiting for the opportunity and the day came like a star falling from the night sky. If he’d have blinked he’d have missed the chance to see it.

One evening after class Marco was packing his things away when he noticed Jean slip out almost before anyone. As he turned around and bent to pick up his messenger bag he noticed Jean’s sketchpad laid beneath his seat. It had to have fallen out at some point. Bending down he picked it up and opened the front cover. Much to his surprise Jean’s name and phone number were scrawled inside. Why he hadn’t just put down his dorm he didn’t know but he supposed it would be easiest to text him after he got back from his shift at the restaurant. Being a bartender was fun but he was still in training most nights while others he was a waiter. It kept him out late and he could only hope by the time he’d returned that Jean would still be awake.

Much to his surprise when he texted out the number a little after midnight he’d received an immediate response. He’d decided to use the opportunity to talk a little with him and see what happened.

 

Somehow he was now supposed to roll back out of the apartment after he’d just gotten home?! Ugh. This was turning into the worst night. Meeting Jean out by the courtyard wouldn’t take long but he was seriously tired and still in his uniform. Whatever. He figured it wouldn’t take that long to just hand him back his sketchpad and get on with showering and going to bed. After all the guy couldn’t be that bad in person, right? He was a little rough in texts but no one could just assume tone that way.

Opting for remaining optimistic he turned around, grabbed the sketchbook, and headed out the door. Walking across campus didn’t take too long with his stride but it was still annoying. When he arrived he found the single Japanese maple tree and sat on the stone ledge waiting for Jean to arrive. After a couple of minute he was lazily trotting along the path. Dressed in a pair of thin, white sweatpants, and a paint stained white cut out top Jean seemed to have been in the middle of something. Smears of golden, silver, navy, emerald, and scarlet paint covered his forearms, fingers, his clothes, had a couple streaks in his hair, and even a swatch to the right of the piercing nestled in his cupid’s bow.

Standing as he approached, Marco handed out the sketchpad to Jean's awaiting grasp “Here. I’m sorry I couldn’t get it to you earlier as I seemed to have interrupted something.”

Glancing down at his attire Jean shrugged and carefully accepted the item “Oh, this? Not really. I was just painting in the studio. Nice apron.”

Frowning as he looked down to see the black apron tied at his waist Marco sighed “Dude, I’m a waiter and a bartender. Yeah. I wear an apron. Big whoop. What about you? You have pink in your hair and I’m not laughing at that.”

Immediately Jean’s lip curled in a snarl “My baby sister wanted this pink in my hair so if she wanted it I was going to give it to her. Something wrong with that?”

“Something wrong with an apron?” Marco snapped back.

The corner of Jean’s lip twitched upwards “Touche. Marco, right? Marco Bodt?”

He gave a nod “Yeah. Surprised you even know me. I’ve never talked to you before.”

“You really _didn’t_ look through it did you?” Jean asked quietly. When Marco shook his head Jean bit his lip and took a seat on the ledge opening up the sketchbook and flipping through several page “Well, I’ll show you a few things then.” As Jean kept going the images finally settled on something that made Marco’s eyes widen and Jean’s fingers tremble. In front of him were several expressions of Marco’s face. How long had Jean been watching him to be able to map out the details in his face down the little cluster of freckles beneath his left eye in a star. There were tons of them. From moments he was in the quad with his guitar or relaxing after he climbed a tree, so many of his moments had been captured in Jean’s artwork. It was incredible.

“You drew me?” Marco asked just barely audible.

Jean shrugged as he cast his eyes to the distance to avoid Marco’s lingering stare “Yeah...it wasn’t like...a conscious decision. I was sitting here one day and you were with Reiner and Bertholdt. Reiner is my roommate but I saw you and I couldn’t help but want to. Your smile is beautiful, Marco. I don’t, like, know if anyone has ever told you that but...yeah...I just...I had to draw you.”

Marco began to laugh loudly “Hahaha!! Thank you. Oh my god. Jean…you know why I’ve never talked to you?” When he shook his head Marco replied “Because you always looked so busy. I never wanted to interrupt your creative zone. I always got little peeks at your art and thought your were amazing. I’m just a numbers guy; I’m a biomathematics and engineer major. I can’t create things like that. I can barely remember what the primary colors are, dude.”

“You’re talented in your own way, Marco,” Jean mumbled before looking to him “you know why I could never talk to you?” When Marco shook his head Jean rubbed the back of his neck and Marco began to notice the rosy hue seeping into his cheeks “Well, I, uh, kinda have a huge crush on you. I know that’s not like a normal thing so just brush it off or whatever. Just forget I said it or take it as a compliment or--”

“Do you talk a lot when you’re nervous?” Marco asked with a gentle smile. “It’s alright. I mean, thanks, I guess. I mean….you’re _really_ cute like this actually. Like one of those comics who just has that level their blush rises over their head.”

Jean immediately went wide eyed before he jerked his head away “Whatever. Ugh. I shouldn’t have said anything!”

“C’mon,” Marco snickered playfully “it’s not _that_ bad. It really is cute. I mean you’re gorgeous, Jean, I noticed that a long time ago. I’m art illiterate not blind. It’s kinda nice the doodlebug has a crush on me. I can work with that.”

Turning his head over his shoulder Jean arched a brow “Really?”

Marco nodded “Yeah, why not. I’ve always been kinda intimidated by you though. Put off this loner, misunderstood rebel vibe and that’s what happens. I’d like to actually think you’re not as broody as you seem to be.”

“And I’d like to think you’re not as much as brainiac but I guess we’re both spot on,” Jean replied with a hint of snark “I just put my foot in my mouth a lot. I can’t help it that people don’t like blunt honesty either. That’s not my problem. If mommy held their hand all their life then it’s not my job to keep doing it. Life sucks most days so take it with a grain of salt.”

“I guess,” Marco shrugged “but maybe you just don’t have a good enough reason for you to see more yet. I’ll tell you what; why don’t you come to McLaren’s around ten tomorrow night? Sit in my section or sit at the bar and I’ll serve you. Stay until close and just talk to me. Make me understand why I shouldn’t be intimidated by a little doodlebug like you who’s clearly not that frightening.”

Stiffening Jean blinked quickly “Wha--Wait. Like a _date?_ Also, did you just give me a pet name?!”

Marco snickered as he leaned in closer noticing the sparkle in his amber eyes “Yeah, sure, like a date but I’ll be working. It wasn’t a pet name, more like just what I’d call someone who sketches and doodles all the time, but I can make it one, _Doodlebug.”_

Jean began to fall over himself, his tongue fumbling over words “I, uhm-- You-- Why--Oh my god, what have I done?”

“Dunno yet,” Marco shrugged as he got up “either it’ll be one great decision that leads to many more or it’s a bad decision that you still take away with free food from. Now, let me get this paint and get to bed. You should get some rest too.”

Freezing as Marco bent over him to lick his thumb and wipe at the paint above his lip Jean gave a tiny nod “Okay.”

“Goodnight, Doodlebug,” Marco teased as he walked off “I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t be late.”

 

 

 


End file.
